Leverage Training Sled

This application is a Continuation of U.S. non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 18/352,950, filed on Jul. 14, 2023, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/389,776, filed on Jul. 15, 2022, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

The present invention relates generally to the field of sport training sleds. Sport training sleds specifically configured to train football players generally require a padded front member for the player to hit, contact, or collide with to train certain block shedding techniques.

Predominantly, football training sleds train the large leg muscle groups such as the quadriceps and hamstrings by having the player contact the front padded member and push a weighted sled a distance. Such sleds as known in the art do not include any apparatus or structure to train football to take positions or actions on the field from a lowered position to gain leverage on an opposing player.

The majority of football training sleds position the biasing member relatively high up on the training sled. This configuration is suitable for training players to push heavy objects over longer distances but falls short in training capacity of training players to use muscle groups associated with the hips for fast twitch motions.

According to a first aspect, a sled includes a first elongate member separated by a distance from a second elongate member and a cross member having a first end adjacent to a portion of the first elongate member and a second end adjacent to a portion of the second elongate member. The sled also includes a contact member with a first end, wherein the first end is positioned adjacent to a portion of the cross member, wherein the contact member is positioned at a first angle relative to the cross member and is configured to pivot from the first angle to a second angle. The sled further includes an upright member that extends from a portion of the cross member, and a bladder member is positioned at a height between a portion of the upright member and a portion of the contact member.

In other embodiments, the first and second elongate members are cylinders.

According to some embodiments, the sled further includes a deck portion configured to be positioned above a portion of the cross member.

In yet another embodiment, the cross member is a plurality of cross members.

In some embodiments, the bladder member is an adjustable air spring, wherein the adjustable air spring is configured to adjust a pressure of the air spring from at least first pressure to at least a second pressure.

In other embodiments, the cross member is positioned about perpendicular to the first elongate member and the second elongate member.

According to some embodiments, wherein the sled further includes a pivot pin positioned adjacent to a portion of the cross member. In some embodiments, a portion of the pivot pin is configured to receive a lubricant.

In yet another embodiment, the sled further includes a brace that extends between a portion of the upright member and a portion of the deck portion.

In some embodiments, the sled further includes a friction increasing member connected to the deck portion.

According to another aspect, a method of manufacturing a sled, includes the steps of providing a first elongate member separated by a distance from a second elongate member and providing a cross member having a first end adjacent to a portion of the first elongate member and a second end adjacent to a portion of the second elongate member. The method also includes the steps of providing a contact member with a first end, wherein the first end is positioned adjacent to a portion of the cross member, wherein the contact member is positioned at a first angle relative to the cross member and is configured to pivot from the first angle to a second angle. The method further includes the steps of providing an upright member that extends from a portion of the cross member and providing a bladder member that extends between a portion of the upright member and a portion of the contact member.

In other embodiments, the first and second elongate members provided by the method are cylinders.

According to some embodiments, the method further includes the step of providing a deck portion configured to be positioned above a portion of the cross member.

In yet another embodiment, the cross member provided by the method is a plurality of cross members.

In some embodiments, the bladder member provided by the method is an adjustable air spring, the adjustable air spring configured to adjust a pressure of the bladder member from at least a first pressure to at least a second pressure.

In other embodiments, the method further includes the step of providing a pivot pin adjacent to a portion of the cross member.

According to some embodiments, a portion of the pivot pin provided by the method is configured to receive a lubricant.

In yet another embodiment, the method further includes the step of affixing a friction increasing member connected to the deck portion.

According to yet another aspect, a leverage training sled includes a first sliding member, a second sliding member, the second sliding member spaced apart from the first sliding member by a length, and a support member connected to a portion of the first sliding member and to a portion of the second sliding member. The leverage training sled also includes a collision member with a first end, the first end positioned adjacent to a portion of the support member, wherein the collision member is positioned relative to the support member at an angle and a pivot member connected to a portion of the deck portion and an end of the collision member, the pivot member configured to receive a lubricant. The leverage training sled also includes a column that extends substantially vertically from a portion of the support member and a bladder having an internal pressure and that extends between a portion of the column and a lower portion of the collision member. The leverage training sled further includes a sensor configured to record a value associated with the collision member.

In other embodiments, the value that is recorded by sensor is a force.

According to some embodiments, the internal pressure of the bladder can be increased or decreased an amount.

In yet another embodiment, the leverage training sled further includes a padded member removably affixed to the front of the collision member.

In some embodiments, the padded member includes a visual indicator on a front face of the padded member.

In other embodiments, the bladder is a plurality of bladders.

According to some embodiments, the pivot member includes a removable pivot pin.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a system, an apparatus, and a method for a leverage training sled system. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein provide a leverage training sled systemthat can be easily utilized to train players of sports to better use leverage and fast twitch muscles. A leverage training sled systemincludes a bladder memberpositioned between the contact memberand the upright member. The bladder memberacts to absorb the impact that the player imparts to the leverage training sled systemduring training sessions and provides resistance to said player. The bladder memberis generally positioned near a lower portion of the contact membersuch that the player must impact the contact memberon or near the contact member'slower portion to effectively move the leverage training sled systema distance.

Reference is now made to, respectively depict a rear side perspective view, a rear perspective view, and a front top perspective view of an embodiment of a leverage training sled system. The leverage training sled systemdepicted includes a pair of opposed sliding members, a plurality of cross members, a bracing member, a deck portion, an upright member, and a contact member. The contact memberdepicted here is connected to a cross memberin such a way that the contact membercan pivot about the cross membertowards the upright member.

The opposed pair of sliding memberscan have a cross sectional shape of a circle, octagon, hexagon, or any other suitable shape such that the siding members do not substantially prevent the leverage training sled systemfrom sliding across the ground when a player imparts a force to the leverage training sled system. The cross membersfunction to connect one sliding memberto another sliding member. The cross memberalso functions as support for the deck portion.

The upright memberis rigidly attached to either the cross memberor the deck portionsuch that the upright membercan support the bladder memberduring training sessions and delimit the range of travel that the contact membermay move. In some embodiments, the upright membermay also have portions that extend horizontally to either side of the contact member. The horizontally extending portions may also have a padded memberaffixed to the front of their respective faces. Such configuration may be necessitated when beginning training sessions with players of different positions. For instance, such a configuration may be necessary when training a player who plays as a defensive lineman. Such horizontal extending portions of the upright membermay not be necessary for all players or all positions.

The horizontally extending portions of the upright membermay be adjustable vertically on the upright member. The horizontally extending portions can have hooks or pins that interface with corresponding through holes or recesses in the upright memberso that a horizontally extending portion can be positioned at one height then moved up or down to another height.

The deck portioncan be positioned on top of or adjacent to some or all of the cross members. The deck portionfunctions as a platform to provide the coach or trainer an up-close vantage point of the player during the training session. Other embodiments omit the deck portionto reduce the overall weight of the leverage training sled system.

The contact memberis pivotally attached to a lower portion of the leverage training sled system. In the depicted embodiment, the contact memberis attached to the pivot memberwith a pivot pinthat extends through a housingof the pivot memberand through holes formed in pivot tabs of the contact member. The contact memberis configured to be struck by a player during a training session, then pivot towards the upright member. The bladder memberis connected to a lower portion of the contact memberto incentivize the player to strike the contact memberat a similar or lower height. The higher up the player strikes the contact member, the more force the player will have to strike with to achieve a similar result of a player striking with less force but at a lower position of the contact member.

Reference is now made to, which depicts a top side view of an embodiment of a deck portionwith a friction increasing memberpositioned on top of a portion of the deck portion. The friction increasing memberfunctions to increase the friction on sections of the deck portionthat a coach or trainer may safely stand on the portions of the deck portioncovered by the friction increasing memberduring a training session with a player.

The increased friction provided by the friction increasing memberenhances the stability of the coach standing on the deck portionmaking it less likely that the coach will slip or fall off of the deck portionwhile the leverage training sled systemis in use. Any suitable kind of friction increasing membercan be utilized such as, but not limited to, anti-slip tape or a textured paint.

Reference is now made to, which depicts a side perspective view of an embodiment of a bladder memberpositioned between a contact memberand an upright member. The bladder memberis affixed to a lower portion of the contact memberin the depicted embodiment at a single location.

However, in other embodiments, the bladder member'sposition can be adjusted vertically, such that the bladder membercan easily be positioned up or down on the contact memberor the upright member. To move the bladder membervertically, a track system is affixed to the contact memberand a second track system is affixed to the upright member, where both track systems are configured to a set number of positions that the bladder membercan be set at. The pair of track systems can both be set at the same height or at different heights depending on user preference.

Reference is now made to, which depicts a front perspective view of an embodiment of a pivot member. In the depicted embodiment, the pivot memberis connected to a portion of the front most cross member. The pivot memberincludes a pivot pin, a retention member, a lubricant injection point, and a housing. The pivot pinis configured to be inserted through the housingand interface with portions of the contact memberand the housingsuch that the contact membercan pivot towards the upright member. The lubricant injection pointis affixed to a portion of the housingand is configured to accept lubricant from a grease gun or other suitable lubricant injection mechanism.

The pivot pincan be coupled with a retention membersuch that the retention memberprevents the pivot pinfrom sliding out of the pivot memberunexpectedly during player training sessions or other situations where the pivot pinis intended to support the contact member.

In certain embodiments, the retention membercan be coupled to and removed from the pivot pinwithout incurring permanent damage. The retention membercan be a female threaded member such as a nut. The pivot pincan have a male threaded end such that the retention membercan thread on to the male threaded end of the pivot pin.

If the pivot pinis removed from the pivot memberand the bladder memberis de-coupled from the contact member, the contact membercan be removed such that the leverage training sled systemis in a more compact form for shipping or storage.

In the embodiment of the pivot memberdepicted in, the pivot memberincludes two separate housingsthat fit in between three pivot tabs of the contact member. In other embodiments, the pivot membermay have only a single housingand the contact membermay have two pivot tabs. Those in the art understand that the number of housingsor pivot tabs of the contact memberare not limited to the embodiments depicted or expressly described herein and can be any combination of number of housingsand contact memberpivot tabs.

Reference is now made to, which depicts a top side perspective view of a bladder memberpositioned on a lower portion of the contact memberand a portion of the upright member. The bladder membercan be any type of fluid filled biasing mechanism such as, an air spring, air bladder, fluid spring, or fluid bladder. The bladder memberhas an internal pressure that can be set to a value for a training session with multiple different players or the internal pressure can be increased or decreased to a value that more closely matches any particular player's ability level.

In an embodiment, the bladder member'sinternal pressure can be adjusted with a bulb pump, or other manual pressure pump, combined with an air release valve and a pressure gauge. In this embodiment, the coach or trainer can increase the internal pressure of the bladder memberby pumping the bulb pump until the pressure gauge reaches a desired pressure. The coach or trainer can alternatively decrease the internal pressure of the bladder memberby opening the air release valve until the pressure gauge reaches a desired pressure.

According to some embodiments, the bulb pump or manual pump is replaced with an electric pump. In such embodiments, the coach can set a desired pressure on the pump, and the electric pump be configured to maintain that set pressure without further input from the coach or user. The coach can also alter the set pressure of the electronic pump such that the internal pressure of the bladder memberis altered for each different player and their respective ability level.

Other embodiments of the leverage training sled systeminclude a plurality of bladder members. The plurality of bladder memberscan be positioned in line vertically with respect to one another, such that one bladder memberis positioned higher than the other bladder member. The plurality of bladder memberscan alternatively be positioned in line horizontally with respect to one another. In these embodiments, both bladder membersare positioned at approximately the same height relative to the contact memberand the upright member. In such embodiments, the bladder memberscan be sized smaller than with embodiments that only utilize a single bladder member. The utilization of multiple bladder membersincreases the safety of the use of the leverage training sled systemas one bladder membermay fail and the remaining bladder membersprevent the contact memberfrom collapsing into the upright memberunexpectedly during use.

The bladder membercan be filled with any suitable fluid, in either gaseous or liquid state. Many embodiments utilize air at ambient temperature and humidity as the fluid filling the bladder member. In embodiments where a bladder memberis filled with a fluid denser than ambient air such as water, the bladder memberoffers more resistance to the player when the player impacts the contact member. In embodiments where the bladder memberis filled with a fluid that is less dense than ambient air such as neon gas, the bladder memberoffers less resistance to a player. Any type of suitable fluid can be utilized within the bladder member, the examples listed herein are intended to be non-limiting and merely exemplary for explanatory purposes.